Antoinette Frank
"Where's the money!?" ''~ Frank demanding Ha and Cuong Vu tell her where the cash is Antoinette Marie Frank (born April 30, 1971) was a New Orleans police officer turned murderer who was convicted of the murder of three people at a local Vietnamese restaurant known as Kim Anh, located in New Orleans East, Louisiana. The Vu Family owned the restaurant, and prior to the murders, Frank would do security there to earn extra money. She had done security there with a fellow police officer known as Ronald F. Williams II. On the night of March 4, 1995, Frank went there with the intention to rob the place, she was accompanied by a drug dealer named Rogers LaCaze. After two of the victims (Ha and Cuong Vu) told her where the cash was, she brutally shot the two siblings while they were on their knees begging for their lives. LaCaze shot Ronald Williams. Background Not much is known about Antoinette's childhood, except that she mentioned on her police application that she had wanted to be a police officer ever since she was a little girl. Tests and other procedures would later include that she likely had a rough and unstable childhood. Police Career In early 1993, Frank applied for the New Orleans Police Department. During the hiring and application process, numerous red flags had turned up. Chuck Hustmyre, a federal agent and author of the book about Frank, ''"Killer with a Badge", added in the Deadly Women episode "Born Bad", ''that she was caught lying on several sections of her application, and failed two psychiatric evaluations. Philip Scurria, a Psychiatrist, examined Frank and advised in no uncertain terms that she should not be hired, saying that she was "shallow and superficial". However, the NOPD needed new recruits, the early 90s struck a dangerous crime wave of murder and drug activity in the city of New Orleans, and the force saw no reason not to hire Frank. The force might've also decided to hire her because the NOPD needed more African Americans on the force to relieve any racial tensions. Frank was hired in February of 1993, and graduated from the Police Academy the same month. Affiliation with Rogers LaCaze ''"I think Frank was attracted to Rogers LaCaze because he was young and he looked looked up to her, and she could dominate and control him." ''~ F.B.I. Profiler Candice DeLong in the Deadly Women episode "Born Bad". Apparently on November 25, 1994, Frank handled a shooting in which a local drug dealer named Rogers LaCaze was a prime suspect. Rogers LaCaze was known in the area as a "gangster" with gold teeth and saggy pants. He even wore caps backwards. The Department of Human Safety and Corrections investigator believes that this was the first contact between the two, however Frank would later state that she had actually met Rogers eight months prior to the incident at Kim Anh. The association between Frank and LaCaze became noticeable when officers witnessed LaCaze driving Frank's Ford Torino, and they even saw him move her police unit when she was investigating an accident. During one occasion, LaCaze accompanied Frank on a complaint call where he introduced himself as a "trainee". When Frank brought LaCaze around Kim Anh, she introduced him to the Vu's as her "nephew". Prior to the murders, people testified that Frank and LaCaze would pull civilians over in a police car, and then rob them. Frank started abusing the badge. When the DOC Investigation Team interviewed Frank, she refused to discuss her relationship with LaCaze. The only thing she would say was was that she was trying to help him. It was later revealed that both Frank and LaCaze may have had a sexual relationship. When she was asked why she continued the relationship, knowing LaCaze had a history with drugs and violence, she said that she would not disassociate herself from him just because of his past. The investigator later questioned Frank about buying LaCaze 9mm Ammunition from a local Walmart on the day before the Kim Anh murders. She only stated that she was a police officer and that there was nothing wrong with her wanting to buy ammunition. During her statement, she said that her and LaCaze were never dating nor did they ever become intimate. Frank straight up refused to discuss anything about the Kim Anh murders, always telling the investigator to "look it up in the record" or she would assert her innocence. During her interview with the DOC Investigator, she claimed to have a male suitor, but she refused to go into specifics because he worked for the police department. In later statements, it would appear that there were other people who new LaCaze. Two men known as John Stevens and Anthony Wallace testified about the case in court. Stevens had said that one night LaCaze, himself, and Wallace were at a party. As both Stevens and Wallace were leaving the party, an altercation had occured between Stevens and LaCaze, which likely led to them fighting. Wallace eventually got fed up and suggested they all leave. When Stevens, LaCaze, and Wallace drove several blocks away, they were pulled over by Frank, who was in her police uniform, when she got out of the police cruiser, she told both Stevens and Wallace to go behind the car. At this point, both men realize that LaCaze, there supposed "friend", had a gun. As Stevens was testifying, he said that Wallace had tried to rush LaCaze, which lead to both men fighting. Frank tried to interfere, but the fight eventually led to LaCaze's gun being discharged, Stevens had gotten scared and decided to flee. A man suddenly appeared and tried helping Frank, grabbing both LaCaze and Wallace. However, Frank explained that LaCaze was the "good guy", and it was Wallace who was causing problems. Wallace was restrained, and Frank called for a unit to come pick him up. Wallace was then charged with attempted murder and armed robbery. It turned out that the man who helped Frank that night was Irvin Bryant, a former civil sheriff. He reported that on February 4, 1995, he saw a stopped police vehicle with its headlights and tail lights flashing. He initially thought that Frank was making a traffic stop, but as he moved closer to the scene, he witnessed Frank trying to break up a fight that two black males were engaging in. According to him, Wallace attempted to escape. He pushed LaCaze on the ground, and ran over and picked up a near by TEC-9 semi-automatic handgun. Bryant ordered Wallace to drop the weapon, which he eventually did. Bryant was able to keep him restrained until police units arrived. LaCaze apparently tried to lunge at Wallace while he was being restrained, which gave Bryant doubts about his innocence. But, Frank explained to him properly about LaCaze. Bryant would later refuse to testify. The Kim Anh Murders Earlier in her employment, Frank wanted to earn extra money. She was later assigned to do security work with her partner Ronald Williams, Williams was described by the force as a devoted officer, he had married and had two children. They were assigned to do security work at a local Vietnamese restaurant in New Orleans East known as Kim Anh. The restaurant was owned by the Vu Family, Chau Vu, Quoc Vu, and Ha and Cuong Vu. During her work of security, Frank had gotten real close to all of them. Chau would later state that she was a real sweet woman until the incident, and so was Ronnie (Ronald Williams). According to Chuck Hustmyre, the Vu's would give her some money when she needed it, and when it was her birthday, they'd even give her presents. Sometime in late February of 1995, Frank would start bringing Rogers LaCaze around the restaurant, according to Chau, she introduced LaCaze as her nephew. The pair would eat there often when Frank's shift was over. Frank had apparently gotten real angry lately because the Vu's had started paying Ronald more money. The Vu's had supposedly told Frank one night (likely March 2, or 3) that they had recently made 25,000$ from business. Frank knew that it would make up for them paying Williams more cash then her, she began plotting robbery with LaCaze. Late on March 4, 1995, both herself and LaCaze ate at the restaurant, before they left, Frank abruptly stole the key to the building. Chau would later tell authorities that she wasn't able to find the key after she had let both Frank and LaCaze out. Both Frank and LaCaze came back to the restaurant after midnight in Frank's police unit. Frank and LaCaze were armed with a 9mm pistol. That night it was Ronnie's shift to do security. Chau Vu was counting money when she saw Frank walking towards the entrance. Chau sensed something was terribly wrong and immediately hid the money in a microwave in the restaurant's kitchen. Frank entered the restaurant and pushed both Chau and Quoc Vu in through the kitchen entrance, Ronnie began following her asking her questions when LaCaze shot him through the spine. When Williams was on his back, LaCaze shot him in the head, and again in the spine. He then took his wallet. Frank then checks to see what the gunshots were behind her, giving Chau and Quoc Vu a chance to hide. They hide in a walk-in freezer in the kitchen. Chau and Quoc initially report after the murders that they could see Frank looking for something. Frank eventually corners siblings Ha and Cuong Vu, demanding they tell her where the money was. Ha and Cuong, both on their knees in the kitchen, begin begging Frank to let them live. Frank pistol whips Cuong, and he eventually tells her where the money was put. Frank, satisfied about getting what she came for, then fires nine rounds into both Ha and Cuong Vu. Frank and LaCaze leave the restaurant, and Frank drops him off at an apartment complex. Frank and LaCaze know that they have left witnesses behind. Being a police officer, Antoinette heard the 911 call over her police radio saying that an officer was down at the Kim Anh restaurant, and she returned to the scene acting as a responding officer. Frank parked in the rear, and entered the restaurant through the back door. Upon reaching the dining room, she finds that Chau is waiting for help. When police arrive, she storms out the door and into the arms of police officers. Frank goes outside and identifies herself as a police officer. Chau tells Frank that she knew what she had done, and explains to police that it was in fact Frank who committed the crimes. Both Chau and Frank were questioned by officers at different tables in the restaurant. After hearing Chau's statement, Frank was arrested and charged with three counts of First Degree Murder. LaCaze was arrested and charged with the murder later on that night. Antoinette Frank was taken to police headquarters where she received additional questioning and confessed to the crimes along with LaCaze. Trial and Conviction Antoinette and Rogers were indicted by an Orleans Parish Grand Jury on April 28, 1995. Their trials were eventually severed, and LaCaze was tried on July 17-21, 1995. He was found guilty, and sentenced to death. What seriously damaged LaCaze' asserted innocence was that he had used Williams' Chevron credit card at a Chevron station in Gretna just minutes after the murders at Kim Anh. Antoinette's trial would begin on September 5, 1995. The jury returned a guilty verdict on all counts. A long with Rogers LaCaze, she was recommended the death penalty. She was sentenced to death on October 20, 1995, and sent to Death Row at the Louisiana Correctional Institute for Women in St. Gabriel, Louisiana, where she has been living on death row since 1995. Trivia * The pistol she and Rogers use in the episode "Born Bad" is the Beretta M9. * Before the murders at Kim Anh, Antoinette reported to fellow police that her father had gone missing. Later on after the murders, a skeleton of an unknown male was found under Frank's house, leading to speculation that she may've killed her father. * The Vu's no longer work in the same building that the murders took place in. * It's been speculated that Antoinette's brother had probably taken part in the Kim Anh murders, but he later denied such allegations. * Antoinette Frank is the second killer that the show focuses on in the episode "Born Bad", the first being Gertrude Baniszewski and the third being Sharon Kinne. * Frank's crime has been featured on the show ''Snapped: Killer Couples, ''it is the first episode of Season 5. She was also featured on the show Fatal Encounters, ''in the episode "Good Cop, Bad Cop", the second episode of Season 1.